Out in the Community

As part of its standard to forge and maintain long-term, positive and proactive relationships with members of the local community and greater water industry and to be transparent about its operations and programs, OCWD board members and staff speak regularly before groups and at events. We recently participated in the following:

President Denis Bilodeau participated in World Water-Tech North America, where he was session chair regarding alternative water sources and he also spoke regarding pioneering water reuse.

President Bilodeau also provided a presentation about OCWD to Assemblymember Matthew Harper and a group of staff members from local elected officials’ offices, after which they toured the GWRS. The group was organized by the California Special Districts Association (CSDA). And, he participated in the 7th Annual Central Coast Sustainability Summit and presented about the GWRS.

Director Roger Yoh provided an OCWD briefing about the status of the basin and District programs/projects to the city of La Palma.

Director Shawn Dewane presented a certificate to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts (SCFTA) in honor of the opening of the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza. Shown in the photo is SCTA President Terrance Dwyer (left) with Director Dewane.

OCWD General Manager Mike Markus and GWRS Program Manager Sandy Scott-Roberts participated in the 2017 American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists (AAEES) Annual West Coast Event. The event was titled “After Decades of Indirect Potable Reuse, Are We Ready for the Next Step, Direct Potable Reuse (DPR)?” Mike and Orange County Sanitation District General Manager Jim Herberg shared their knowledge about 10 years of successful water reclamation and Sandy provided details about the performance of the GWRS.

Director of Public Affairs Eleanor Torres and Senior Public Affairs Specialist Rebecca Long from the Orange County Sanitation District attended KPCC’s Open House in Pasadena to distribute samples of GWRS water and share information about water reuse.

Recharge Planning Manager Adam Hutchinson participated in a roundtable discussion with recharge experts statewide, including staff from the Department of Water Resources, State Water Resources Control Board, UC Davis, UC Merced, Sonoma County Water Agency, and numerous others to develop a 5-year action plan to enhance managed aquifer recharge statewide. Adam also participated in a panel discussion on stormwater capture and recharge at the annual Southern California Water Committee’s Stormwater Workshop. In addition, he gave a presentation at the Groundwater Foundation’s National Conference entitled “Replenishing Groundwater for Sustainability” where Executive Director of the Groundwater Foundation Jane Griffin and attendee John Mundell tasted GWRS bottled water.

Principal Engineer Ryan Bouley met with homeschooled middle-school students from Lake Forest to provide feedback on a science project that is part of the First Lego Robotic League Team.

Sponsored by Water UCI, OCWD Scientist Shannon Roback used the GWRS as an example of innovation in water reuse during her presentation titled “Potable Reuse: Challenges and Opportunities – Lessons from California.” It was part of a water conference for the National Week of Science and Technology at Michoacán University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo in Mexico. Water UCI, a campus-wide initiative at UC Irvine, focuses on fundamental and applied water science, technology, management, and policy.